Turtle Egg Poacher Gets Stiff Fine, Jail

A homeless man who admitted to poaching more than 200 turtle eggs from a Palm Beach County beach was sentenced Friday to a year in jail and fined $22,300.

Prosecutor Ted Booras applauded the case's resolution, saying that although it was unlikely the state could recover the fine from Johnny Frank Carter, it would send a message to potential buyers of the exotic, though illegal, delicacy.

"The precedent is there to impose a hefty fine," Booras said, adding that the state also could seize a car or building if evidence showed the property was used in the eggs' theft or sale.

"Hopefully, this will send an ugly message to sellers that if they get caught, the stakes go up."

Carter told the judge that he did not intend to sell the eggs, but instead planned to save them for his own use. Booras said he doubted the veracity of the statement, saying the number of eggs found was more than one person could consume.

State marine patrol agents arrested Carter, 51, on June 30, after they say they caught him leaving John D. MacArthur Beach State Park, in North Palm Beach, at 3 a.m. with a bag containing 223 sea turtle eggs.

The eggs sell on the black market for $15 to $20 a dozen.

On Friday, Carter pleaded guilty to molesting marine turtle eggs, a third-degree felony, and to three misdemeanors: possession of marine turtle eggs, unlawful entry to state property and possession of drug paraphernalia. The fine amounted to $100 for every egg he stole.

Booras said Carter, who also goes by the name of Timmy Carter, had been arrested twice before for the same offense and spent six months in jail after pleading guilty to federal charges.

Marine patrol agents told Booras they had had trouble with turtle nest poachers at MacArthur Park for weeks, a problem they said disappeared upon Carter's arrest.

Nicole Sterghos Brochu can be reached at nbrochu@sun-sentinel.com or 561-243-6603.